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Sport Nation
Alex Chapman: Woodman Raises The Bat, All Blacks Questions & Wahs Calculations
Alex Chapman • September 1st, 2025 10:09 am
Portia Woodman-Wickliffe | Photo: Photosport
As she has throughout her exceptional career, Portia Woodman-Wickliffe has now burst past all of the others and left them in her dust.
Women's rugby's GOAT now sits atop the all-time try-scorers list for New Zealanders on the international stage, becoming the first Kiwi to raise the bat and notch up half a century of tries.
And to continue on the cricket analogy, she’s done so at a comfortably superior strike rate to that of her closest rivals.
It’s not just a fantastic 50, it’s a phenomenal one.
She went past Wilson, beyond Barrett, strode by Savea, ran past Rokocoko, crossed more times than Cullen and now has hurdled Howlett.
As her close mate and captain Ruahei Demant said afterwards, she is the most influential women’s rugby player in the world and the comparisons to Jonah Lomu are fair and accurate - not just for impact alone, but just look at her burst down the right wing for the record-clinching try against Japan on Monday morning (NZ time).
That try cancelled out an early Japanese lead in a game that, though one-sided on the scoreboard, still raises areas for improvement within the Black Ferns.
As they did in their opening game against Spain, New Zealand started slowly and, again, lost a player (twice), this time due to two moments of poor discipline from Laura Bayfield. They can still be better, but the signs are positive ahead of their biggest test so far against Ireland in a week.
Warriors Wonderings
What came first - the chicken or the egg? If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound? Can Warriors fans complain about the bunker supposedly costing them the game when they were down 20-4?
Well, who are we to say what fans can and can’t do? They’re the ones who make the game, and the Wahs loyalists are up there with the best.
The frustration from the faithful perhaps is understandable, though probably more in the sense that once again, the decision making of officials is at the heart of the post-match discussions. Their coach put it best though - “we should not have been in that position through the way we played.”
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Andrew Webster went on to add that “poor concentration and execution” particularly with how they reacted to the Eels countering their last plays, was disappointing and they continue to make it hard for themselves. The Warriors won the majority of the stats, except the key numbers on the scoreboard.
Parramatta’s personnel - rather than the collective - was the difference, producing moments of brilliance without really putting the hosts under ongoing pressure and capitalising on consistent field position.
So, did the bunker cost the Warriors the game? Clearly not. To point to one or two isolated moments is, with all due respect to Wahs fans, silly.
Does there need to be deeper discussion around the use of the bunker and the rulings it can make? Absolutely. And the accuracy and communication around it perhaps needs clarifying as well.
But at the end of the day, the Warriors will head into the final round of the regular season with their calculator out once again. Whether they get a second life in the finals will be determined not just by their own game against Manly, but by a game the day before and another after them.
You’d think the Storm will bounce back against the Broncos on Thursday, meaning if the Warriors can subdue the Sea Eagles and the Bulldogs beat the Sharks, they’ll lock up fourth. But it’s the final week and with teams already able or not able to secure spots, who the bloody heck knows whether first-choice sides will be selected.
For fans, the relief is there knowing the permutations aren’t for their playoff future, but how many bites they get at the playoff cherry.
All Blacks changes
The next few days will include plenty of pondering and positional discussions. There’s a lot to consider and contemplate with this All Blacks team, though it’s unlikely that wholesale changes will be made for Saturday’s Test against the Springboks at Eden Park.
Is there enough halfback depth? Who could provide a solution to the aerial assault issues and errors? Will Wallace Sititi move back to starting at No. 8? If so, does Simon Parker or Tupou Vaa’i go to the bench? Will Billy Proctor start? Will Rieko Ioane?
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And the ultimate questions that all of the above culminates with – will the All Blacks win? Or, after 21 years and 50 Tests, will the sensational streak at Eden Park come to an end? Even the flourishing Garden of Eden eventually met its match.
It’s going to be a heck of a match.
Pass the Parcel, Share the Shield
Another week, another heralding of the cherished and coveted Ranfurly Shield. I don’t think it’s unfair to say, it’s the smaller regions who it means more to; just look at the Southland celebrations.
On Friday’s Sport Nation Mornings, I was stunned at the confidence coming out of the south. Not just the inner-belief you’d hope for in a challenge, but how their fans were backing it up with stats.
But the Stags showed why, with a dominant display that muddled the Mooloos. Anyone know how good cheese rolls are at soaking up Speights?
If the current run continues of a new holder every challenge, the Shield’s spending the summer in the winterless north with the Taniwha watching over it like the kaitiaki they are.
Tune into Alex Chapman on Sport Nation Mornings, 9am to midday on Thursdays & Fridays.
